Optical reduction printer



March 26, 1940. M. E. COLLINS OPTICAL REDUCTION PRINTER 4 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed July 30, 1937 JNI/ENT Q Mf/ford Co/f/ns A rroE/vE Y March 1940- M. E. COLLINS I 2,194,542

orrxcu. nnnucuou PRINTER Filed July so, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mf/fO/a 60/7/05 A TTORNE Y March 26, 1940. COLLINS 2,194,542

OPTICAL REDUCTION PRINTER Filed July 30, 193'? 4 SheeqsSheet 3 l/v VEN T02 Mf/fora 6'1 (o/fins A rrole/w: Y

March 26, 1940.

M. E. COLLINS OPTICAL REDUCTION PRINTER 4 Sheets-Sneet 4 Filed July 30, 1937 ATTORNEY D Patented Mar. 26, 1940- I i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,194,542 OPTICAL REDUCTION PRINTER Milford E. Collins, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 30, 1937, Serial No. 156,506

8 Claims. (01. 88-24) This invention relates to motion picture appameans for adjusting the film sidewise or transratus and particularly to motion picture film versely of its length. The present invention proprinters wherein the image on the printing film vides a printer construction having the optical is optically projectedto a film being printed, the portion of the apparatus as complete assembled projected image being either of the same dimenunits which mount on the printer in fixed posi- 5 sions as the original or of different dimensions tions, and the film guide portions of the apparatus from the original image. readily adjustable to quickly and efliciently place The printing of the sound track on motion the films at their corrected lateral positions with picture film, particularly when the dimensions respect o the light beam beamsthereof are varied during the printing process, An object of the invention, therefore, is to more 10 requires accurate positioning of all the vital eleefiiciently obtain the optimum printing condiments such as the light source, films, reflectors, tions for motion picture film. and lenses. In the manufacture of motion pic- Another object of the invention is to facilitate ture film printing apparatus, therefore, it is the transverse adjustment of negative and posidesirable that all possible fixed adjustments betive films on a motion picture film printing appa- 15 tween cooperating elements be made at the facratus during operation thereof. tory or assembling plant where the necessary A further object of the invention is to provide equipment and engineering skill are present. a printer having fiXed optical po ons d ad- Particularly is this true of the optical portion of J'ustab e fi guide portionsthis apparatus involving the light source and Although the novel features which are believed 2o lenses which project the light beam to the negato be characteristic of this invention will be tive and from negative to positive. Adjustment po ted ut w particularity in the Claims pof these lenses is generally critical as in the case pe herewith, the invention itself, its bj t of an anamorphosing system wherein sound is and advantages, the manner of its organization being printed to small dimensions or t dim nand the mode of its operation will be better undersions having different proportions than those Stood by referring to the following e p n of the original sound track. In such a system d Conjunction with the aeeeinpenying drawthere are delicate adjustments required such as, ings forming a P thereof, in which;

for instance, the proper orientation of thc azi- Figure l is an elevational view of a P te muths of the non-spherical lenses and the proper embodying the invention, 30 focusing for position and size of the light source Figure 2 s a Cress-sectional View Of e Optical upon the surface of the negative film, and of the assembly intermediate t e O fi modulated beam upon the surface of the positive Figure 3 s a partial c -sect o al View taken film. By providing an arrangement whereby such along the line of optical adjustments are made under the super- Figure 4 s a Cress-Sectional View taken along 35 vision and control of the manufacturer of the ape e of paratus, a more satisfactory printer is obtained Figure 5 is a schematic p View Of the Optical since this critical portion of the apparatus has sy for e Printer of been adjusted under optimum conditions. Figure 6 is a plan view of one of the guide roller It is to be understood that wherever the term ad t assemblies taken along e e 5-6 40 negative is used it always refers to the film of Fig. 1,

carrying the image being printed, while the term re 7 is a similar guide roller adju tment positive" refers to the film upon which the assembly employing a different typ f uide image is projected. roller,

In many printers and particularly in the present Fi ure 3 s a Cress-Sectional e Of a ombina- 5 invention the negative and positive films are tion guide roller and adjustment mounting therewrapped over drums, which definitely fixes the for, and

surfaces of the films at the translation points. Figures 9 and 10 are detailed views of the light However, not only do films vary in width, but beam adjustment means employed in the printer the position of the sound track transversely of of Fig. 1. 50

the film quite frequently varies for different films. Referring now to the drawings in which the This is usually caused by the use of difierent rc- 'same numerals identify like elements and particucording machines or difierent adjustments of the larly to Fig. 1, a frame plate 5 serves as a mount :ame machines. It is desirable, therefore, that for various optical assemblies, guide rollers and the printer be provided with simple and efficient sprockets. A supply reel 6 supplies negative film 1 of 35 mm. width, for instance, which is taken from the reel by a sprocket 8, having a double pad roller 9 associated therewith. From the sprocket 8, the film passes around an idler roller "I, over a flanged edge guide roller ll, around a drum l2, over the edge of which the sound track portion of the negative extends, around a wrapping roller |3 to drive sprocket |4 having a double pad roller l5 associated therewith. From the sprocket I5, the film is taken up at |6 by the usual takeup reel.

On' the other side of the mounting plate 5 a pcrsltive reel |1 supplies a film l8, of 16 mm. width, for instance, to sprocket I9 having a double pad roller 20 associated therewith. From sprocket I9, the film passes around an idler roller 2|, around a flanged edge guide roller 22, a drum 23, a wrapping roller 24 to drive sprocket 25 having a double pad roller 26 associated therewith. From the drive sprocket 25, the film is taken up at 21 by the usual takeup reel. The point where the light passes through the negative and is modulated is-shown at 28 and the translation point of the positive is shown at 29. The negative film takeup reel and sprockets 8 and M are driven by gears through a shaft 6 shown in dotted lines. Similarly shown, is a shaft 1 for driving the takeup reel for the positive film l8 and sprockets |9 and 25. Shafts H6 and H1 are connected to a prime mover by a gear 8 and worm 9. A meter I20 indicates the current supplied to the light source for the printer, while a film counter 2| is employed to indicate negative footage.

Interposed between the modulation point 28 and the translation point 29 is an optical assembly bracket having a tubular portion 30 and an integral flanged mounting base portion 3| which is attachable to base plate 5 by screws 32 and fixed in position on the plate by dowel pins 33 in holes 34. Behind the negative film is positioned the light source 31 (see Fig. 5) in a housing 35. The light source has the usual positioning adjustments therein which, after having been properly made, may be locked in position to the housing which in turn is screwed to the mounting plate 5 and given a fixed position by dowels 38, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Mounted on the housing 35 are the collecting lenses 38, a rhomboid reflector 39 for passing the light beam within the film loop, and an objective lens 49, the lenses and reflector being an assembly which is integral with the housing 35 so that when the housing is fixed to the mounting plate, the assembly is also fixed in position. The optical assembly is for the purpose of projecting a beam of light upon the negative 1 of the proper size, position and focus, the adjustments between the various elements being preset and adjusted before the housing 35 is attached to base plate 5.

Referring now particularly to the intermediate optical assembly shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, the illustrated unit includes four optical elements such as an objective lens 39, a cylindrical lens 49, a reversing lens 4|, a. cylindrical lens 42 and an objective lens 43. The lenses 49, 4| and 42 are for the purpose of anamorphosing and reversing the image, the reversal of the image being necessary as both the negative and positive films travel in the same direction with their emulsion sides toward one another.

The objective lens 39 is mounted in a holder having a slidable portion 44 and a threaded portion 45, the portion 45 being threaded within a knurled ring 45, the turning of which adjusts the objective lens 39 along its optical axis. The lens 39 is held in any adjusted position by means of a set screw 41 threaded in the portion 44 through a slot 48 of the tube 30. The head of the screw 41 is carried by a block slidable on the tube 30. At the other end of the tube 30 the objective lens 43 is similarly adjustable by being mounted in a holder having a slidable portion 49 and a threaded portion 59, the latter cooperating with a knurled ring 5|. The holder is locked in position by means of a set screw 52 slidable on a block 54 in a slot 53 of the tube 30.

The three cylindrical lenses 49, 4| and 42 'are fixedly mounted within a broached cylinder 56 and held in their fixed positions therein by means of spacing cylinders 51, 58 and 59, a compression spring 60 interposed between cylinders 51 and 58, and an exteriorly threaded nut 59'. This unit is adjustable longitudinally as a whole, however, by moving the cylinder 56 by screw 6| threaded therein and slidable within a cut-out portion 62 of the cylindrical holder 30. The screw 6| also functions to aid in the assembly of the cylindrical lenses by holding the spacer 51 in place while lens 40 and nut 59 are being placed and connected. A plate 63 held in position by screws 64 covers the opening 62. Rotational adjustment of the cylinder 56 within tube 30 to vary the azimuth of the cylindrical lenses is obtained by screws 65 and 66 (see Fig, 4). These screws hold the broached cylinder 56 in both longitudinal and rotational positions after adjustment. To prevent marring of the shoulder portion 6| of the cylinder 55 by the ends of screws 65 and 66, two hardened steel spacers '92 and 63' are employed.

The above optical assembly and mount therefor permits adjustment of the five lenses with respect to one another during manufacture, after which no further attention need be given to it. For instance, after the objectives 39 and 43 have been adjusted with respect to each other and with respect to the cylindrical lenses 49, 4| and 42 and the translation points 28 and 29, the adjustments therefor may be sealed. During these adjustments the base 3| is held to the plate 5 by the screws 32, the holes thereof being oversize to provide for slight movement of base 3|. When the position of the tube mounting base 3| has been determined, it is then marked with respect to plate 5 and dowel pins 33, and holdes 34 are made to accurately position the assembly on the plate 5. The unit is then removable as a whole for repair and adjustment and may be replaced upon the dowels in its exact former position.

In Fig. 5, an eyepiece 61 positioned at right angles to the optical axis of the optical system and directed at a partially reflecting mirror 68 positioned at an angle of 45 to the optical axis of the system. is employed to check the focusing or positioning of the light beam upon the positive film l8. A cap 69 is placed over the opening in the tube after removal of the eyepiece and reflector.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7 which are identical except for the type of guide roller employed, the adjustment shown in Fig. 6 is that shown for the positive film l8 in Fig. 1. Upon a tapered boss 19 mounted on the mounting plate 5 is a stud 1| carrying a braclnat sleeve 12 with a cutaway portion 13. Surrounding the stud 1| and mounted within the cut-away portion 13 is a compression spring 14, one end of which abuts against the shoulder of the boss 10 and the other end against the shoulder of the cut-away por- .tion 13. The spring, therefore, is always urging the cylinder 12 away from the plate 5. Threadably mounted on the end of stud II is a knurled nut I5 having a lock screw I6, rotation of the nut adjusting the sleeve I2 toward and away from the plate 5. The bracket has an extension arm I7 integral with sleeve I2 and parallel with the plate 5 which carries a shaft parallel with stud II. Upon this shaft in Fig. 6 is a flanged guide roller I8 carrying a synthetic rubber tire I9 at the center thereof. Roller 18 is freely rotatable upon its shaft and is held thereon by a screw-and-washer combination 80. The film is positioned between the flanges of the roller and transverse adjustment thereof may be accomplished during operation of the printer by simply adjusting the nuts 15 on stud II.

As the mounting brackets 'I2 -II is rotatable upon stud II, it may be swung to the right I see Fig. l) to remove the roller 18 from the drum 23 for threading the machine. In operating position the roller 18 presses the film against the roller 23 with a predetermined pressure determined by the tension of a spring 8I forming part of a toggle and the adjustment of a stop screw 81 having a lock nut 88. The toggle has a rod 82 passing through an aperture in a bracket 83 mounted on a boss 84, the rod 82 being pivoted on the bracket 'I2-'I'I at 85. The spring 8| also maintains the roller I8 in open position against a stop pin 86. I

A similar adjusting and-bracket mounting is shown in Fig. 7 except that the guide roller I8 is of a different type similar to that shown in Fig. 8, and which will now be described by also referring to Fig. 8. The roller is a so-called split roller having two portions 89 and 90 with respective guide flanges at the outer ends thereof. The portion 90 is undercut at 9| to accommodate a compression spring 92 which continually urges the portion 90 toward the portion 89, since the spring 92 has one end thereof abutting the shoulder of cut-away portion 9I and the other end thereof abutting a cylindrical bearing member 93. in position on the member 93. Both edge guide fianges of such a roller will thus always bear against the film in case of variations in the width of a single film or differences in Width between films. guide roller I8 of Fig. 7, the film causing a separation between the two sections 89 and 90 at 96. This separation will vary, of course, with the width of the film, the film being held at all. times tightly between the flanges of the roller.

Similarly to Fig. 6, rotation of the nut I5 will adjust the film I8 laterally on the roller 23 to correctly position the sound track portion of the film with respect to the light beam.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the guide roller II for negative film I may be similar to either 18 or I8 of Figs. 6 or '7, while a similar adjusting nut 90 mounted in the same manner as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is employed. Because of the size of roller I2 and the spatial disposition of associated elements, the extension bracket com-,

prises sections 99 and I held in fixed angular relationship by a pin MI. The lateral positioning of the negative film upon the roller I2 so that the light beam passes through the correct portion of the sound track being printed is obtained by rotation of 'nut 98. A toggle arrangement I02 similar to that shown in Figs. 6 and-'7 for roller 22 is provided for roller II.

Referring again to Fig. 8, the combination roller and adjustment shown therein may be A set screw 94 maintains the portion 89 I To illustrate, film 95 is shown on the used for either roller II or roller 22 when space will permit. Upon the wall a stud I03 is mounted which has an enlarged portion I04 abutting the wall 5. portion I04 is a compression spring I05 which bears against the wall 5 and also against a collar portion of a bearing sleeve I06, upon which the member 93 rotates. The stud I03 has threaded on the outer end thereof the split nut I5 of Figs. 6 and 7. By rotating the nut I5, the

cylindrical member I06 is urged toward the wall 5 against the-spring I05,'thus axially shifting the roller toward or away from the wall and thereby laterally shifting any film on the roller. A nut I08 is provided at the end of the stud I03 which could also be used for 'II .of Figs. 6 and 7 if desired. A rotatable oiler sleeve I01 has a hole therein cooperating with a hole I09 longitudinally of a portion of stud I03 and which is plugged at the other end thereof. A radial hole H0 in stud shaft I03 permits the oil to reach the bearing surfaces.

Thus, after the light source and the intermediate optical system have been fixed in position by the manufacturer of the apparatus, practically the only adjustment required of an operator or.

user of the apparatus is the lateral adjustment of the films by the rollers II and 22, as just described. It occasionally occurs, however, that the sound track on the' negative to be printed is out of position caused by being recorded too near the frame lines. In these cases it is desirable to reduce the length of the beam as it impinges upon the negative to prevent the light beam from being modulated by extraneous matter such as the frame lines.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, a simple adjustment for varying the length of the light beam is illustrated in which a member III', hav-- ing a handle .2 for the rotation thereof, is positioned in the optical system immediately adjacent -a wall of the lighthouse 35. The member III has a cylindrical aperture therein, on one side of which is a widened slot H3. The member III is maintained tightly in a. fixed position in the optical path by a coil spring II4 while the handle H2 is held in a vertical position by spring clip II5. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the light beam is given its greatest length when it impinges upon the negative, while ro tation of the handle I I2 90 decreases the length of the beam to the diameter of the basic'circle of the aperture. This adjustment can be readily made by an operator when he is aware of the position ofthe sound track on the negative.

The above printer construction has been found to be particularly. effective from the standpoint of sturdiness, simplicity, and long service without attention. That is, all elements of the optical system may be adjusted relative to one another and to the film surfaces at the factory where the operation thereof and manner of adjust ment is familiar. The adjustments required thereafter to accommodate the different positions of the sound tracks are the lateral or traverse adjustments of the films upon the rollers I2- and 23 where the light beams contact the films. These adjustments are simple and can be made during operation of the printer as well as when Surrounding the enlarged of the light beam as it impinges on the negative. such adjustment being provided'in a particularly where comparatively complex optical systems are employed.

The printer can thus be very satisfactorily operated by an unskilled operator. For instance, should the track position of a certain negative be diiferent from a previous one, adjustment of the negative edge guide roller is all that is required to properly center the track in the scanning beam, this adjustment not affecting the position of the image on the positive. If any change in this positive image position is desired, however, adjustment of the positive edge guide roller is all that is required. it is unnecessary, therefore, to make any optical adjustments whatsoever unless the printer has been damaged.

The edge guide rollers and adjustment mounting therefor are being claimed in copendingapplication Serial No. 142,394, filed May 13, 1937.

I claim as my invention:

1. A continuous film printer comprising a vertical mounting plate, means mounted on one side of said plate for advancing a negative film in a vertical direction, a film pulled roller, said film overhanging an edge thereof, a unitary light source and optical system for directing light of predetermined dimensions on the overhanging portion of said negative, said light source and said optical system being doweled to said mounting plate to prevent adjustment thereof, means for advancing a positive film in a vertical direction on another portion of said mounting plate, a unitary optical system intermediate said negative and positive films to direct a beam of light therebetween of predetermined dimensions, said unitary optical system bearing a permanent relationshinto said first-mentioned optical system by being doweled to said mounting plate to prevent adjustment thereof and all of said elements being fixedly positioned on said plate with respect to one another, manually operable means for laterally positioning said negative with respect to said light beam, and manually operable means for laterally positioning said positive with respect to said light beam, said manual- 1y operable means being operable during operation of said printer.

2. A continuous film printer in accordance with claim 1 in which said first-mentioned optical assembly system includes manually operable means for varying the dimensions of the light beam directed to, said negative.

3. A continuous film printer in accordance with claim 1 in which said laterally adjusting means comprises double-flanged rollers mounted on respective accessible brackets manually adjustable for positioning said roller.

4. A motion picture printer comprising a mounting plate, means for projecting upon a negative film a beam of light of predetermined dimensions, means for transmitting light emerg ing from said negative film to a positive film in predetermined dimensions, means for positioning the surfaces of said negative and positive films, means individual to each of said films for transversely positioning said films with respect to said light, all of said above-mentioned means being mounted on said mounting plate, and means for attaching said light transmitting means to said mounting plate to initially set said. light transmitting means in a predetermined'relationship with respect to said surface positioning means and to accurately reset said light transmission means to said predetermined relationship when said light transmission meansis removed from said mounting plate.

5. A printing apparatus comprising means for passing a negative film past a beam of light, means spatially disposed from said negative film for passing a positive film past said beam of light after emerging from said negative, means individual to each of said films for fixedly positioning each respective surface of said films with respect to each other and with respect to said light beams, means'individual to each of said films for laterally adjusting respective films with respect to said light beams, an optical assembly interposed between said film surface positioning means, a mounting plate, all of said abovementioned elements and means being attached to said mounting plate, said optical assembly comprising abase plate attached to said mounting plate, and means for connecting said base plate and said mounting plate to initially set said optical assembly in a predetermined relationship with respect to said film surface positioning means andto accurately reset said optical assembly to said relationship after removal of said base plate from said mounting plate.

6. A printing apparatus comprising means for passing a negative film past a beam of light, means spatially disposed from said negative film for passing a positive film past said beam of light after emerging from said negative, means individual to each of said films for fixedly positioning each respective surface of said films with respect -to each other and with respect to said light beams,

means individual to each of said films for laterally adjusting respective films with respect to said light beams, an optical assembly interposed between said film surface positioning means, and a mounting plate, all of said above-mentioned elements and means being attached to said mounting plate, said optical assembly comprising a base plate attached to said mounting plate to prevent adjustment thereof with respect to said mounting plate and with respect to said film surface positioning means, said optical assembly being accurately pre-adjusted and doweled to said mounting plate to prevent adjustment thereof.

7. A film printer comprising means for fixedly positioning the surface of a negative film, means for fixedly positioning the surface of a positive film, a unitary light source and optical system for projecting a beam of light on said negative, an optical assembly interposed between said film surface -positioning means for projecting light emerging from said negative to said positive, lateral guide means individual to each of said films, a common mounting plate for all of said abovementioned elements, and similarmeans for connecting said light source, optical system and optical assembly to said mounting plate for initially setting said light source, optical system and optical assembly in a predetermined relationship with respect to said surface positioning means and for resetting said light source, optical system and optical assembly to said relationship after removal of said light source, optical system or optical assembly from said mounting plate.

8. A film printer comprising means for fixedly positioning the surface of a negative film, means for fixedly positioning the surface of a positive film, a unitary light source and optical system for projecting a beam of light on said negative, an optical assembly interposed between said film surface positioning means for projecting light emerging from said negative to said positive, lateral guide means individual to each of said films,

and a common mounting plate for all of said above-mentioned elements, said surface positionof, and said individual. transverse film guiding in; means beingkflxed to said mounting plate, means being adjustable with respect to said light said light source andoptical system being semibeams and surface positioning means, said unipermanently attached to said mounting: plate tary light source and optical system and said 0pto prevent adjustment thereof, and said optical tical assembly being doweled to said mounting 5 assembly being semi-permanently attached to plate.

said mounting plate to prevent adjustment there- MILFORD E. COLLINS. 

